Lychnis flos-cuculi cultivar Lychjen.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lychnis plant, botanically known as Lychnis flos-cuculi, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Lychjenxe2x80x99.
The new Lychnis originated from a chance cross-pollination of two unidentified selections of Lychnis flos-cuculi, not patented. The cultivar Lychjen was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 1994 in Blandford Forum, Dorset, United Kingdom.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by divisions and basal cuttings taken at Bressingham, United Kingdom, since April, 1995, has shown that the unique features of this new Lychnis are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Lychjen have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Lychjenxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Lychjenxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright plant habit.
2. Freely basal clumping growth habit, dense and bushy plants.
3. Freely flowering habit.
4. Bright pink-colored double flowers.
Plants of the new Lychnis differ from plants of the parent selections and other selections of Lychnis flos-cuculi in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Lychnis are more compact than plants of the parents and other selections of Lychnis flos-cuculi. 
2. Plants of the new Lychnis are more freely basal clumping than plants of the parents and other selections of Lychnis flos-cuculi. 
3. Plants of the new Lychnis are more freely flowering than plants of the parents and other selections of the Lychnis flos-cucli. 
4. Plants of the new Lychnis have larger flowers than plants of the parents and other selections of Lychnis flos-cuculi. 
5. Plants of the new Lychnis have double flowers whereas plants of the parents and other selections of Lychnis flos-cuculi have single flowers.
6. Plants of the new Lychnis do not set seed whereas plants of the parents and other selections of Lychnis flos-cuculi readily set seed.